She did everything all by herself :)
And the end product - for her grandfather's birthday, it was really yummy.
She baked another one for her connect group that same day.
Ummmm....... yum yum!
Wednesday, April 30, 2008
Lavette baking on her own!!!! Yummy!!
She did everything all by herself :)
And the end product - for her grandfather's birthday, it was really yummy.
She baked another one for her connect group that same day.
Ummmm....... yum yum!
Friday, April 25, 2008
Thursday, April 24, 2008
Andrew Johnston singing 'Pie Jesu'
This boy is amazing. I wasn't expecting his voice to turn out like that, moved me to tears :'(
Can't imagine that he's been bullied since 6 years old. Have a listen.
Can't imagine that he's been bullied since 6 years old. Have a listen.
Wednesday, April 23, 2008
Thought for the day
John 10:11 "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep." (NIV)
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, deserted island. He prayed fervently for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none came. Exhausted, he eventually built a small hut out of driftwood as a shelter and a place to store his few remaining possessions.
One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. Everything was lost. Stunned with grief and anger, he cried, "God, how you could do this to me!" Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island. It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?" the weary man asked. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
God is always at work in our lives, even during the most stress-filled moments. When we entrust everything we are and everything we have to God, when we depend upon his truth instead of our own understanding and choose to walk in obedience, God promises to "make our paths straight" (Proverbs 3:6 NLT). No matter how deep the valley, we can count on God for direction. In Proverbs 3:6 , "make straight" means "to do right, to make smooth or to be evenly hammered". I love that truth! I can almost see my Father going before me, the hammer of truth in his hand, flattening every fear-filled obstacle, hammering down every mountain of doubt before me so that, when he has made a way, I can cross over. He straightens out the crooked paths, improving my behavior and causing me to do the "right" things.
Valleys are best faced with a total abandonment to the Shepherd of the valley. How many times have we danced with joy on the mountain top then moaned and complained in the valley? God is Lord of the mountain and the valley. I suspect that the most powerful life is lived in the valley -- not on the mountain top. Every valley is surrounded by mountains and every valley has a shepherd, a shepherd who will walk with us through the valley, a shepherd who will go before us, leading us out of the valley. When the psalmist wrote these words, he wrote my life message, "I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." (Psalm 40:1-2 NIV)
Grace Chavis, a gifted author and speaker, stepped into my life and was a friend and mentor to me for many years. I will never forget the day I heard she had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. I picked up the phone to call this precious lady, expecting to offer words of comfort and faith. The person who answered the phone could not possibly be Grace! She sounded ecstatic! But it was Grace! I sputtered, "Grace, I must have misunderstood a message I received today saying you had been diagnosed with terminal cancer!" A laugh of pure joy rang in my ears as she said, "Oh, no! That's right! Now, I am here in my living room, dancing before Jesus and singing, "I'll be with you soon!" I have to tell you that her response blew me away and to this day still challenges my faith. Talk about trust!
No matter where you are today, your Father is there. No matter how deep or long the valley, he is with you, waiting for you to surrender all. Give him your valley, knowing that he will surely lead you out. God has ordained that valley as an altar of sacrifice, an opportunity for him to work through your broken heart and life. Keep your glance on the valley and your gaze on the Shepherd. Begin praising him for your deliverance. It will surely come.
Let's Pray
Father God, my Shepherd. I feel like a lost sheep, a broken lamb. I am desperate for You. I confess that I don't always understand how You work, and tend to doubt You in those times. But I want to trust You as a sheep trusts its shepherd. By faith, I come to You, placing my life in Your hands in total surrender. Thank You for loving me just as I am. In Jesus' name, Amen
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed up on a small, deserted island. He prayed fervently for God to rescue him. Every day he scanned the horizon for help, but none came. Exhausted, he eventually built a small hut out of driftwood as a shelter and a place to store his few remaining possessions.
One day, after scavenging for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke rolling up to the sky. Everything was lost. Stunned with grief and anger, he cried, "God, how you could do this to me!" Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship approaching the island. It had come to rescue him! "How did you know I was here?" the weary man asked. "We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
God is always at work in our lives, even during the most stress-filled moments. When we entrust everything we are and everything we have to God, when we depend upon his truth instead of our own understanding and choose to walk in obedience, God promises to "make our paths straight" (Proverbs 3:6 NLT). No matter how deep the valley, we can count on God for direction. In Proverbs 3:6 , "make straight" means "to do right, to make smooth or to be evenly hammered". I love that truth! I can almost see my Father going before me, the hammer of truth in his hand, flattening every fear-filled obstacle, hammering down every mountain of doubt before me so that, when he has made a way, I can cross over. He straightens out the crooked paths, improving my behavior and causing me to do the "right" things.
Valleys are best faced with a total abandonment to the Shepherd of the valley. How many times have we danced with joy on the mountain top then moaned and complained in the valley? God is Lord of the mountain and the valley. I suspect that the most powerful life is lived in the valley -- not on the mountain top. Every valley is surrounded by mountains and every valley has a shepherd, a shepherd who will walk with us through the valley, a shepherd who will go before us, leading us out of the valley. When the psalmist wrote these words, he wrote my life message, "I waited patiently for the LORD; he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the slimy pit, out of the mud and mire; he set my feet on a rock and gave me a firm place to stand." (Psalm 40:1-2 NIV)
Grace Chavis, a gifted author and speaker, stepped into my life and was a friend and mentor to me for many years. I will never forget the day I heard she had been diagnosed with terminal cancer. I picked up the phone to call this precious lady, expecting to offer words of comfort and faith. The person who answered the phone could not possibly be Grace! She sounded ecstatic! But it was Grace! I sputtered, "Grace, I must have misunderstood a message I received today saying you had been diagnosed with terminal cancer!" A laugh of pure joy rang in my ears as she said, "Oh, no! That's right! Now, I am here in my living room, dancing before Jesus and singing, "I'll be with you soon!" I have to tell you that her response blew me away and to this day still challenges my faith. Talk about trust!
No matter where you are today, your Father is there. No matter how deep or long the valley, he is with you, waiting for you to surrender all. Give him your valley, knowing that he will surely lead you out. God has ordained that valley as an altar of sacrifice, an opportunity for him to work through your broken heart and life. Keep your glance on the valley and your gaze on the Shepherd. Begin praising him for your deliverance. It will surely come.
Let's Pray
Father God, my Shepherd. I feel like a lost sheep, a broken lamb. I am desperate for You. I confess that I don't always understand how You work, and tend to doubt You in those times. But I want to trust You as a sheep trusts its shepherd. By faith, I come to You, placing my life in Your hands in total surrender. Thank You for loving me just as I am. In Jesus' name, Amen
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Great lunch - thank you to the Tan family
This was our first 'farewell' meal from reg 5/6 at Great Shanghai in Grand Copthorne. We had a wonderful time with the Tan family. They have been a tremendous blessings to this church and our lives. May God continue to bless them richly as they walk closer with the Lord!
Wednesday, April 09, 2008
Thought for the day
Hebrews 11:6 (ICB) "Without faith no one can please God. Anyone who comes to God must believe that He is real and that He rewards those who truly want to find him."
Billy Graham once said, "Most of us do not understand nuclear fission, but we accept it. I don't understand television, but I accept it. I don't understand radio, but every week my voice goes out around the world, and I accept it. Why is it so easy to accept all these man-made miracles and so difficult to accept the miracles of the Bible?"
Faith can be defined as "confidence or trust". We all have faith. We walk into a room and flip a switch, believing in faith that light will result. We sit in a chair, confident it will support us. We go to a doctor who is a total stranger. He gives us a prescription that we can't read, which we take to a pharmacist we don't know. We are given a bottle of mysterious pills and we gobble them down - all in faith!
Our problem is not a lack of faith. Our problem is where we place our faith. Faith is more than just believing. It is acting on that belief. The story is told of a woman who lived in a remote valley in Wales . When electricity came to the rural area, one of the first customers was a young woman with a large family. However, the electric company soon noticed that the woman was using a very small amount of electricity each month and suspecting a problem with the installed equipment, they sent a repairman to check the meter. After a close inspection, the worker found the equipment was installed properly. Confused, the repairman knocked on the front door to give the woman his report. "We've inspected the meter which seems to be working properly. The only thing I can figure out is that you are not using the power that is available to you. Don't you use any electricity?" the repairman asked. "Oh yes" she said. "We turn it on every night to see how to light our oil lamps and then we switch it off again."
We often approach God's power in the same way, knowing it exists but failing to appropriate that power. Instead, we work diligently in our own strength until that strength is gone and we are left feeling empty and without purpose. That is not God's plan.
Hebrews 11:1 What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. (NLT)
We are not saved by faith plus works. We are saved by faith that leads to good works. We attempt to build a life on the flawed premise that if we do enough good works, God will be pleased. However, those works are useless and count for nothing unless the heart motivation behind them is one of faith. Faith is the altar of powerful living because faith pleases God. I often picture my Father watching with delight as I step into the unknown, walk straight through my fear and trust Him to be there. I truly believe God loves big dreamers, children who take Him at His Word and walk by faith...not by sight. Go ahead! Take that first step of faith today!
Let's Pray: Father God, I pray that my heart and mind would be childlike in the matters of faith. I choose today to accept Your plan without understanding that plan. I choose to believe You and Your Truth, even though that truth is hard to believe. I choose to keep my gaze on You and my glance on circumstances. I want to be a woman of faith, Lord. I want to please you by stepping out in faith. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Billy Graham once said, "Most of us do not understand nuclear fission, but we accept it. I don't understand television, but I accept it. I don't understand radio, but every week my voice goes out around the world, and I accept it. Why is it so easy to accept all these man-made miracles and so difficult to accept the miracles of the Bible?"
Faith can be defined as "confidence or trust". We all have faith. We walk into a room and flip a switch, believing in faith that light will result. We sit in a chair, confident it will support us. We go to a doctor who is a total stranger. He gives us a prescription that we can't read, which we take to a pharmacist we don't know. We are given a bottle of mysterious pills and we gobble them down - all in faith!
Our problem is not a lack of faith. Our problem is where we place our faith. Faith is more than just believing. It is acting on that belief. The story is told of a woman who lived in a remote valley in Wales . When electricity came to the rural area, one of the first customers was a young woman with a large family. However, the electric company soon noticed that the woman was using a very small amount of electricity each month and suspecting a problem with the installed equipment, they sent a repairman to check the meter. After a close inspection, the worker found the equipment was installed properly. Confused, the repairman knocked on the front door to give the woman his report. "We've inspected the meter which seems to be working properly. The only thing I can figure out is that you are not using the power that is available to you. Don't you use any electricity?" the repairman asked. "Oh yes" she said. "We turn it on every night to see how to light our oil lamps and then we switch it off again."
We often approach God's power in the same way, knowing it exists but failing to appropriate that power. Instead, we work diligently in our own strength until that strength is gone and we are left feeling empty and without purpose. That is not God's plan.
Hebrews 11:1 What is faith? It is the confident assurance that what we hope for is going to happen. It is the evidence of things we cannot yet see. (NLT)
We are not saved by faith plus works. We are saved by faith that leads to good works. We attempt to build a life on the flawed premise that if we do enough good works, God will be pleased. However, those works are useless and count for nothing unless the heart motivation behind them is one of faith. Faith is the altar of powerful living because faith pleases God. I often picture my Father watching with delight as I step into the unknown, walk straight through my fear and trust Him to be there. I truly believe God loves big dreamers, children who take Him at His Word and walk by faith...not by sight. Go ahead! Take that first step of faith today!
Let's Pray: Father God, I pray that my heart and mind would be childlike in the matters of faith. I choose today to accept Your plan without understanding that plan. I choose to believe You and Your Truth, even though that truth is hard to believe. I choose to keep my gaze on You and my glance on circumstances. I want to be a woman of faith, Lord. I want to please you by stepping out in faith. In Jesus' name, Amen.
Saturday, April 05, 2008
Fur Elise with a twist
This is really interesting. 'Fur Elise' in a kind of Jazzy and Rag feel.
Have a listen!
Have a listen!
Friday, April 04, 2008
Another scam - wow! I so fortunate lor, always meet this kind of Money offer :)
Received this in my eamil:
IMF-World Bank Collaboration
Attention
We wish to inform you that your overdue payment has be scheduled to pay to you through certified ATM Card which you will be only required to proceed to any ATM Cash Point to withdraw $10,000 per day till your complete payment fund of $1.2M USD are completed.
This development was as result of new payment policy revolution of 2007 carry out by the World Financial Body in collaboration with World Bank Audit unit and Policy maker unit under world bank new year payment constitution.
This effort is to help the international monetary fund restrict and monitor every international transaction to avoid money laundering activities and will help us to fight against fraudulent activities from scam experts. Furthermore you are advice to reconfirm you billing address include your full name and direct contact telephone number to the Bank of Afirca cotonou Benin Republic for the issuance certified ATM Credit Card, the contact information is as follows:
BANK OF AFRICA, COTONOU
REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
Email: atmdevelopmentoffice0008@yahoo.fr
CONTACT PERSON:Rolland Scoth.
NB note that you can only withdraw just $10,000.00 per day till your fund is completed.Please do not reply to this E-mail contact the Bank immediately with the necessary information required from you so that they commence on proceeding.
Yours sincerely,
MR.JIM PETER
中关村科技园区海淀园招收56位博士后
*用搜狗拼音写邮件，体验更流畅的中文输入>>
IMF-World Bank Collaboration
Attention
We wish to inform you that your overdue payment has be scheduled to pay to you through certified ATM Card which you will be only required to proceed to any ATM Cash Point to withdraw $10,000 per day till your complete payment fund of $1.2M USD are completed.
This development was as result of new payment policy revolution of 2007 carry out by the World Financial Body in collaboration with World Bank Audit unit and Policy maker unit under world bank new year payment constitution.
This effort is to help the international monetary fund restrict and monitor every international transaction to avoid money laundering activities and will help us to fight against fraudulent activities from scam experts. Furthermore you are advice to reconfirm you billing address include your full name and direct contact telephone number to the Bank of Afirca cotonou Benin Republic for the issuance certified ATM Credit Card, the contact information is as follows:
BANK OF AFRICA, COTONOU
REPUBLIC OF BENIN.
Email: atmdevelopmentoffice0008@yahoo.fr
CONTACT PERSON:Rolland Scoth.
NB note that you can only withdraw just $10,000.00 per day till your fund is completed.Please do not reply to this E-mail contact the Bank immediately with the necessary information required from you so that they commence on proceeding.
Yours sincerely,
MR.JIM PETER
中关村科技园区海淀园招收56位博士后
*用搜狗拼音写邮件，体验更流畅的中文输入>>
Friday, March 28, 2008
The two most beautiful girls I've ever known!!!!
My pride and joy!!!
Thank God for blessing me with the two of them :)
Thank God for blessing me with the two of them :)
Excerpt from Girlfriends in God
The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you. Psalm 32:8 (NLT)
When my daughter, Danna, was a toddler, she and her daddy had a favorite game. Dan would place her in some high spot then stand back, hold up his arms saying, "Jump to Daddy!" I hated this game but Danna loved it. She would always jump into his arms, laughing and giggling! One day, however, Dan put Danna in a spot that for some reason seemed just a little too high for Danna. She did what I do when I get scared. She closed her eyes. When her dad said, "Jump!" she said, "I can't! 'Cause I can't see you, Daddy!" Dan said, "It doesn't matter, baby. I can see you!" With a smile on her scrunched up face my daughter bailed off into the strong arms of her Father, secure in the knowledge that he would catch her just as he always had.
The apostle Paul understood and lived by the truth that God is constantly at work in and around us, monitoring every circumstance. Paul writes in Philippians 4:10, "I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it." This verse contains a message that is easy to miss - the truth that God is always at work around us. Paul's circumstances did not show that God was working, but Paul knew! He was secure in the belief that help was on the way so he stood firm and began watching for God to show up!
He examined every circumstance, understanding that it had already passed through His Father's hands with His permission! And God came through! To find real security and contentment we must learn to search for the handprints of God in the every day circumstances of life.
Life is not a series of accidents but a series of divine appointments made by our heavenly Father, designed to prove that He loves us and orchestrated to illustrate His provision for us. That interruption we complain about or that intrusion we resent may well be a window of opportunity sent by Him! God is our provider. The word "provider" comes from two Latin words, "pro" which means "before" and "video" which means, "to see". In other words, God will take care of it beforehand. God caused the church at Philippi to become concerned about Paul's needs and it came at the time when Paul needed their love the most! He always comes when we need Him the most! It is a picture of the Good Shepherd meeting every need of every sheep.
John 10:4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. (NLT)
The Shepherd is always ahead of his sheep - out in front which means that any attack upon the sheep has to go through him. What peace and security we can have knowing that God has gone before us through every valley, across each mountain of life. He knows what tomorrow holds and will give us everything we need to face it. When we begin to understand and walk in the truth that God monitors every circumstance, we will also understand and walk in contentment.
You may find yourself in a frightening place filled with darkness and doubt. Your fragile heart may be wondering if God knows where you are. Let me assure you my friend - He does. Even if you cannot see Him He can see you. And when it comes right down to it, I really prefer that God be able to see me rather than insisting that I be able to see Him! We think that because we cannot see the hand of God or sense His presence, it means that He is not working. Nothing could be further from the truth. God is always at work in our lives. Now that is real security and the cornerstone of a life of contentment.
Now it's Your Turn
By faith, accept the truth that God is always at work in your life and thank Him for His steadfast provision. Look back over the last few days, weeks and months of your life. Now praise Him for the things He has done.
Identify the people or things that you tend to think of and rely upon as sources of security and contentment in your life.
Read Proverbs 3:5-6. What are the steps listed in this passage that -- when taken -- will produce contentment?
What hedges of protection can you put in place today that will prepare you to face tomorrow with security and contentment?
When my daughter, Danna, was a toddler, she and her daddy had a favorite game. Dan would place her in some high spot then stand back, hold up his arms saying, "Jump to Daddy!" I hated this game but Danna loved it. She would always jump into his arms, laughing and giggling! One day, however, Dan put Danna in a spot that for some reason seemed just a little too high for Danna. She did what I do when I get scared. She closed her eyes. When her dad said, "Jump!" she said, "I can't! 'Cause I can't see you, Daddy!" Dan said, "It doesn't matter, baby. I can see you!" With a smile on her scrunched up face my daughter bailed off into the strong arms of her Father, secure in the knowledge that he would catch her just as he always had.
The apostle Paul understood and lived by the truth that God is constantly at work in and around us, monitoring every circumstance. Paul writes in Philippians 4:10, "I rejoice greatly in the Lord that at last you have renewed your concern for me. Indeed, you have been concerned, but you had no opportunity to show it." This verse contains a message that is easy to miss - the truth that God is always at work around us. Paul's circumstances did not show that God was working, but Paul knew! He was secure in the belief that help was on the way so he stood firm and began watching for God to show up!
He examined every circumstance, understanding that it had already passed through His Father's hands with His permission! And God came through! To find real security and contentment we must learn to search for the handprints of God in the every day circumstances of life.
Life is not a series of accidents but a series of divine appointments made by our heavenly Father, designed to prove that He loves us and orchestrated to illustrate His provision for us. That interruption we complain about or that intrusion we resent may well be a window of opportunity sent by Him! God is our provider. The word "provider" comes from two Latin words, "pro" which means "before" and "video" which means, "to see". In other words, God will take care of it beforehand. God caused the church at Philippi to become concerned about Paul's needs and it came at the time when Paul needed their love the most! He always comes when we need Him the most! It is a picture of the Good Shepherd meeting every need of every sheep.
John 10:4 After he has gathered his own flock, he walks ahead of them, and they follow him because they recognize his voice. (NLT)
The Shepherd is always ahead of his sheep - out in front which means that any attack upon the sheep has to go through him. What peace and security we can have knowing that God has gone before us through every valley, across each mountain of life. He knows what tomorrow holds and will give us everything we need to face it. When we begin to understand and walk in the truth that God monitors every circumstance, we will also understand and walk in contentment.
You may find yourself in a frightening place filled with darkness and doubt. Your fragile heart may be wondering if God knows where you are. Let me assure you my friend - He does. Even if you cannot see Him He can see you. And when it comes right down to it, I really prefer that God be able to see me rather than insisting that I be able to see Him! We think that because we cannot see the hand of God or sense His presence, it means that He is not working. Nothing could be further from the truth. God is always at work in our lives. Now that is real security and the cornerstone of a life of contentment.
Now it's Your Turn
By faith, accept the truth that God is always at work in your life and thank Him for His steadfast provision. Look back over the last few days, weeks and months of your life. Now praise Him for the things He has done.
Identify the people or things that you tend to think of and rely upon as sources of security and contentment in your life.
Read Proverbs 3:5-6. What are the steps listed in this passage that -- when taken -- will produce contentment?
What hedges of protection can you put in place today that will prepare you to face tomorrow with security and contentment?
Wednesday, March 26, 2008
This kid is not bad!!!
He's cute and can bring up the atmosphere with the audience too. Entertaining!
Wednesday, March 19, 2008
5 year old blind talent
I am sure you will be impressed after watching this show! It is very touching when this little 5-years old blind sung a song that really represented her plight.
It is another sign that God has always been fair and has endowed us with different abilities.
It is another sign that God has always been fair and has endowed us with different abilities.
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Cheerobics 2007 - Cheerobics 2008 post coming soon
This was last year's Cheerobics where Lavvy's school won Champion again!
But of course, 2008 Cheerobics, St Hilda's won yet again, making them the defending Champion for the last 5 years (I think)!
This was their winning performance
But of course, 2008 Cheerobics, St Hilda's won yet again, making them the defending Champion for the last 5 years (I think)!
This was their winning performance
Sunday, March 16, 2008
Thursday, February 21, 2008
“Yet I hold this against you; You have forsaken your first love” (Revelation 2:4 NIV).
If you’re married, what do you do when you’ve lost that lovin’ feelin’? Maybe you truly adored your husband in the beginning, but now you can’t remember why. Maybe you honestly admired his finer qualities, but now you can’t remember what they were. Maybe you appreciated his wonderful attributes, but now take them for granted. What do you do now?
Here’s a statistic you might find interesting. According to an analysis of the National Survey of Families and Household, 86 percent of unhappily married people who stick it out find that, five years later, their marriages are happier. In fact, nearly 60 percent of those who rated their marriage as unhappy in the late 1980’s, and who stayed married, rated their same marriage “very happy” or “quite happy” when re-interviewed five years later ( Linda J. Waite and Maggie Gallagher, The Case for Marriage (New York: Doubleday, 2000) 148). In comparison, those who divorced and remarried divorced again at a rate of 60 percent (Judith Wallerstein and Julia A. Lewis, and Sandra Blakeslee, The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce, Hyperion, 2000) p295).
So, starting over may very well be the answer! As long as it’s with the same man.
In the book of Revelation in the Bible, God had this to say to the church at Ephesus. “Yet I hold this against you; You have forsaken your first love” (Revelation 2:4). Ephesus was one of the most loving churches in the New Testament and yet, somewhere along the way, they lost that initial thrill of knowing Christ. Their love for each other and for God had grown cold.
As I read God’s lament, I whispered a prayer. “Oh Lord, how many of us women have forgotten our first love. We’ve forgotten the thrill we felt when we first met our husbands: the spine tingling chills when he walked into a room, the heart skipping flutter when he called on the phone, the tender wooing when we opened a letter penned by his hand. Somewhere between taking out the garbage, paying the bills, running carpool, mowing the lawn, disciplining the kids, folding the laundry…somewhere among the mundane routine of life, we’ve lost the romance”.
How do we get it back? God gave the church two simple steps for the Bride of Christ to renew her passion for her Beloved, and I believe we can apply the same principles to renewing our passion for the man of our dreams.
Remember and Return
Remember what drew you to your husband in the first place? Remember how you tried to please him, capture his heart, and win his affection? That may have been fifty pounds and a full head of hair ago, but that young man who longed to be adored, admired, and appreciated still lives within his heart. He wants to know if he still “has what it takes.” Let him know that he does.
Everyone loves a love story. Tell your children the story of how you first met and fell in love. Remember special days such as your first date, your first kiss, or the day when you first realized he was the man you wanted to marry. On your anniversary, listen to a tape or watch a video of your wedding. Celebrate not only your wedding anniversary but also the day he asked you to marry him.
Now it’s Your Turn
If you have kids, tell them the story of how you met and fell in love with your husband at the dinner table tonight.
If you aren’t married, tell someone how you met Jesus Christ and gave your life to Him.
If you are married, write down what drew you to your husband initially.
If you are not married, write down what you long for in the man of your dreams.
Here’s a statistic you might find interesting. According to an analysis of the National Survey of Families and Household, 86 percent of unhappily married people who stick it out find that, five years later, their marriages are happier. In fact, nearly 60 percent of those who rated their marriage as unhappy in the late 1980’s, and who stayed married, rated their same marriage “very happy” or “quite happy” when re-interviewed five years later ( Linda J. Waite and Maggie Gallagher, The Case for Marriage (New York: Doubleday, 2000) 148). In comparison, those who divorced and remarried divorced again at a rate of 60 percent (Judith Wallerstein and Julia A. Lewis, and Sandra Blakeslee, The Unexpected Legacy of Divorce, Hyperion, 2000) p295).
So, starting over may very well be the answer! As long as it’s with the same man.
In the book of Revelation in the Bible, God had this to say to the church at Ephesus. “Yet I hold this against you; You have forsaken your first love” (Revelation 2:4). Ephesus was one of the most loving churches in the New Testament and yet, somewhere along the way, they lost that initial thrill of knowing Christ. Their love for each other and for God had grown cold.
As I read God’s lament, I whispered a prayer. “Oh Lord, how many of us women have forgotten our first love. We’ve forgotten the thrill we felt when we first met our husbands: the spine tingling chills when he walked into a room, the heart skipping flutter when he called on the phone, the tender wooing when we opened a letter penned by his hand. Somewhere between taking out the garbage, paying the bills, running carpool, mowing the lawn, disciplining the kids, folding the laundry…somewhere among the mundane routine of life, we’ve lost the romance”.
How do we get it back? God gave the church two simple steps for the Bride of Christ to renew her passion for her Beloved, and I believe we can apply the same principles to renewing our passion for the man of our dreams.
Remember and Return
Remember what drew you to your husband in the first place? Remember how you tried to please him, capture his heart, and win his affection? That may have been fifty pounds and a full head of hair ago, but that young man who longed to be adored, admired, and appreciated still lives within his heart. He wants to know if he still “has what it takes.” Let him know that he does.
Everyone loves a love story. Tell your children the story of how you first met and fell in love. Remember special days such as your first date, your first kiss, or the day when you first realized he was the man you wanted to marry. On your anniversary, listen to a tape or watch a video of your wedding. Celebrate not only your wedding anniversary but also the day he asked you to marry him.
Now it’s Your Turn
If you have kids, tell them the story of how you met and fell in love with your husband at the dinner table tonight.
If you aren’t married, tell someone how you met Jesus Christ and gave your life to Him.
If you are married, write down what drew you to your husband initially.
If you are not married, write down what you long for in the man of your dreams.
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
Back from Australia
I was in Sydney for about 10 days with Timothy for the Entech 2008 exhibition. Wow!!!! What an experience! Thank God that He saw us through!!! Timothy had to work through the night for many nights in his three weeks stay. He only came back like 5 or 6am in the morning, slept for 2 hours and then back to work :(
I had to work non-stop also, building the truss for the exhibition stand, setting the stand up, run here and there like an event construction worker :P .... very tiring!
During the exhibition days, we had to walk half an hour, up slope from hotel to exhibition centre, stand from 9am to 6pm, then back to hotel, walking another half an hour with really tired feet back to the hotel. Sometimes it gets so tiring that we even skipped dinner.... no appetite already! After the exhibition, it's tear down time!!! The same process all over again.
I'm sure you would understand how much we L-O-N-G to come home to Singapore and to our children!!! One thing good is that the whether was really cool, sometimes cold there. Not forgetting the beef is delicious too :P
But we miss local food cos it's always bread bread bread and more bread, if not meat meat and more meat!!! Haha
Even coming home was a small little adventure. Our flight was due to depart at 5pm Australia time but was delayed till 8pm. That means we stayed at the airport from 2.30pm till 8pm just to catch the flight back home. We ended up arriving on Sunday early morning instead of Saturday night. PHEW.... :)
I had to work non-stop also, building the truss for the exhibition stand, setting the stand up, run here and there like an event construction worker :P .... very tiring!
During the exhibition days, we had to walk half an hour, up slope from hotel to exhibition centre, stand from 9am to 6pm, then back to hotel, walking another half an hour with really tired feet back to the hotel. Sometimes it gets so tiring that we even skipped dinner.... no appetite already! After the exhibition, it's tear down time!!! The same process all over again.
I'm sure you would understand how much we L-O-N-G to come home to Singapore and to our children!!! One thing good is that the whether was really cool, sometimes cold there. Not forgetting the beef is delicious too :P
But we miss local food cos it's always bread bread bread and more bread, if not meat meat and more meat!!! Haha
Even coming home was a small little adventure. Our flight was due to depart at 5pm Australia time but was delayed till 8pm. That means we stayed at the airport from 2.30pm till 8pm just to catch the flight back home. We ended up arriving on Sunday early morning instead of Saturday night. PHEW.... :)
Monday, January 28, 2008
14 years old Charice Pempengco
Her voice is not too bad. Great stage presence also. Just like what the interviewer said, she made the stage looks small. Watch for her changing of the mics from right to left hand, in mid air - cool! Have a listen:
And the interview session:
And the interview session:
Saturday, January 26, 2008
Friday, January 25, 2008
Our Pride and Joy!
Yesterday was a day filled with emotional roller coaster rides. First it was excitement in the morning, then great anticipation, then anxiety kicked in before joy came through.
What do I mean by that? Well, Lyn collected her 'O' levels result yesterday.
I'm so glad we were there all the way to support her.
You see, Lyn had tried her very best last year with her studies when she finally decided to really buck up and do well for 'O's. She was not exactly up to par from sec 1 to 3 but we believed in her that she will mature and will start to plan for her future. She did! When she started to work hard, we cheered her on knowing that that's the best thing we can do and should do. She didn't disappoint us!
You see, before we left for school, I felt that we needed to pray and commit everything to God. No matter what the results were, God is in control - that was what I prayed. I wanted her to put her trust in God and learn to accept whatever results she may get. Deep in my heart I knew she'll do well but if she didn't, I didn't want to put pressure on her.
When we reached school, the anxiety is really unbelievable. All the girls were excited, seeing many of their friends' names listed on the screen - those who scored xx amount of As, those who had a high aggregate difference between prelim and 'O's etc etc. Well, it came time for the rest to collect their results and we were literally standing on our toes with anticipation. She called me on my mobile to tell me that she scored better than expected! Hallelujah!!!! Praise the Lord. I'll never forget that scene when she came running to us, with tears in her eyes and a wide grin on her face and gave both of us a big hug. I cried, so proud of her. Tim was controlling his tears but I could see the redness and tears welling up in his eyes.
In fact, she did better than many of her classmates who always topped her! I believe her hard work paid off, but most importantly, God has be glorified in all this!!!!
Thank you Jesus for seeing us through!
AMEN!
What do I mean by that? Well, Lyn collected her 'O' levels result yesterday.
I'm so glad we were there all the way to support her.
You see, Lyn had tried her very best last year with her studies when she finally decided to really buck up and do well for 'O's. She was not exactly up to par from sec 1 to 3 but we believed in her that she will mature and will start to plan for her future. She did! When she started to work hard, we cheered her on knowing that that's the best thing we can do and should do. She didn't disappoint us!
You see, before we left for school, I felt that we needed to pray and commit everything to God. No matter what the results were, God is in control - that was what I prayed. I wanted her to put her trust in God and learn to accept whatever results she may get. Deep in my heart I knew she'll do well but if she didn't, I didn't want to put pressure on her.
When we reached school, the anxiety is really unbelievable. All the girls were excited, seeing many of their friends' names listed on the screen - those who scored xx amount of As, those who had a high aggregate difference between prelim and 'O's etc etc. Well, it came time for the rest to collect their results and we were literally standing on our toes with anticipation. She called me on my mobile to tell me that she scored better than expected! Hallelujah!!!! Praise the Lord. I'll never forget that scene when she came running to us, with tears in her eyes and a wide grin on her face and gave both of us a big hug. I cried, so proud of her. Tim was controlling his tears but I could see the redness and tears welling up in his eyes.
In fact, she did better than many of her classmates who always topped her! I believe her hard work paid off, but most importantly, God has be glorified in all this!!!!
Thank you Jesus for seeing us through!
AMEN!
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